


wizards and sandwiches

by breaktrio



Category: Inazuma Eleven, Inazuma Eleven: Ares no Tenbin
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Comedy, M/M, No beta readed, Pre-Relationship, R, Trust Issues, With A Twist, You can't change my mind, also sakuma is justin and genda is max, discourse of friendships and catboys, fudou is alex russo, ghosts and haunted places, just pretend i know english, kageyama is a dick we hate kageyama in this house, kazemaru is the pretty boy, mentions of death and abuse here and there but it's light i swea, prompt magic / alchemy, side gensaku, they work and they study they are better than me, this is one of the dumbest things i have ever written and i love the concept, wizards of weverly place au, written for day 1 of Inazuma Eleven Fantasy Week!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:55:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28676304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breaktrio/pseuds/breaktrio
Summary: (day 1 of inazuma eleven fantasy week 2021 / prompt magic or alchemy)Kazemaru wanted to learn new kinds of magic at Teikoku Academy. Instead, he ends up working as a waiter in his free time.
Relationships: Fudou Akio/Kazemaru Ichirouta
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	wizards and sandwiches

**Author's Note:**

> GREETING MY FRIENDS!  
> welcome to the first fic for this fantasy week ;-)  
> this is a thing i started to write back in october, but then life happened and i couldn't finish it and i thought i could use it for this week! i'm not that happy with the result and i wanted to explore more of this--and maybe i will, in the future. but now it's here! and i'm glad and happy to take part of this special week which was.. a struggle for me, because of exams. this is the only fanfiction not set in the same universe (i'll explain better tomorrow when i post day 2!).  
> THIS! it’s also dedicated to my friend federica <3 she knows why!  
> i hope u like it! :)

Sakuma Jirou crosses his arms over his chest as Fudou Akio groans next to him. Genda Koujirou closes his eyes meanwhile Ichirouta asks himself what he did wrong to end up in this situation. 

The headmistress of Teikoku Gakuen has both of her eyebrows raised and her lips pursed, waiting for them to say something about their punishment, but Ichirouta finds himself unwilling to fight her. He senses his classmates feel the same. 

This is what you get for trying to stop a Dark Wizard for controlling the school and everyone inside it with super complex and dangerous magic. You should get a thanks and maybe less homework because you saved their asses, but you end up working at the school’s pub, instead. 

Teikoku Place is an inspired subway restaurant specialised in the fine art of making sandwiches, paninis and fries. Established with the goal to make more money for the Academy (as a private school, it wasn’t necessary and they do have a canteen, like every other magic school in the country), it is located right next to it, to make it more accessible to the students and teachers. 

That, in theory. Practically, Teikoku Place closed down after the first fight against the Dark Wizard, but nobody really ate there because the food was super disgusting and it was never cleaned properly since they opened up for business. And now the rumour has it that it's haunted by a ghost who only likes to lie and sneak up on people because he can since he is… well, a ghost. Dead. For good.

Teikoku Place is also cursed by the previously mentioned Dark Wizard; he was the one who had established it to practice his illegal dark magic. It was basically a front for his shady business, his secret hideout where he did bad things like money laundry and mentally abuse on his students. Not a nice place to hang out, honestly, and everyone stays away from it. Them included. Until now, Ichirouta guesses. 

Ichirouta came to Teikoku two months ago for an exchange program between his old school and this one. He wanted to study and understand the dark arts and Teikoku was the top academy to do that. And his friend Kidou always talked about how Teikoku was a good school and the rumors were only rumors, well, most of them were only rumors.

Ichirouta really tried to come to Teikoku without prejudices and misconceptions, but a week in and he was already tangled in a fight against the darkness led by Sakuma Jirou, Fudou Akio and Genda Koujirou. Okay, maybe led is the wrong word since everyone was asleep because of an incantation except them. He doesn’t know how he ended up in this mess, but now thanks to that he has to work for free for Teikoku Place with the others, losing important classes just because they destroyed one of Teikoku’s towers, and they let Kageyama Reiji go. 

It wasn’t really their fault... Okay, maybe it was Fudou’s fault. Ichirouta doesn’t trust him in the same room as Kageyama Reiji, his old allegiance to him too fresh to be forgotten. But nobody knows the truth of what happened that night since Sakuma was half dead, Genda was imprisoned in the Potion class and Ichirouta was busy trying to get the damn door to the tower opened. And Fudou won’t talk about it, of course, only answering their questions (mostly Sakuma’s) with sarcastic remarks. 

Ichirouta doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like anything about this situation and maybe his friends back at Raimon were right about not participating in the exchange program, but now he can’t go back and the year just only started and Ichirouta has to work for a disgusting pub with his... classmates. He can’t call them friends, he just says hi to Sakuma because Kidou is his friend and that’s it. The only thing that unites them is their little stunt against Kageyama and look how it ended.

With detention.

“I’m glad you are not trying to change my mind. At least you kids know how to behave in this kind of situation,” the head of the school unpleasantly says, “You know after your...” she moves her hands vaguely and she doesn’t finish her thought.

“After we saved the school,” Fudou interjects, a snicker on his lips full of challenge for the authority figure in front of them. Sakuma slaps his arm, muttering something intelligible only to Fudou, who huffs a laugh.

“You destroyed the school, Fudou Akio, not saved it. Everything was perfectly under control before your meddling.” 

“If that was under control then I can’t imagine what it looks like when you don’t have things under control, Headmistress.” 

Ichirouta turns to look at him and Genda just sighs, defeated.

“Enough of this,” the Headmistress sounds angry now and Ichirouta understands that feeling, “You are going to do as I say. Starting tomorrow, you are going to work at Teikoku Pub. You are going to open it, clean it, cook everything on the menu, and if there isn’t a menu you are going to create it, close it and then you’ll have to balance your classes without failing them. You have to make the place worth something because with that money you are going to pay for our school reparations. I don’t care who your parents are and what your connections are, if you don’t do as I say, you are going to be expelled and then I will present your case to the Magic Jury.” 

Ichirouta swallows his own saliva, “I think that’s... too much, Headmistress. It was one mistake.” 

“In our world, one mistake it’s enough. I’m really giving you a second chance, here. Don’t waste it. Especially you, Kazemaru Ichirouta, if you want to go back to Raimon and keep your magic.” 

Ichirouta simply nods.

“You are dismissed,” the Headmistress informs them and Ichirouta gets up, followed by his classmates, when she speaks again, “Not you, Fudou Akio. You are staying for a private chat.”

“I’m flattered, Headmistress, but you are not really my type.”

The Headmistress doesn’t lose her composure, “Sit.”

Fudou does as she says, annoyance visible on his face as Ichirouta, Sakuma and Genda look at each other, confused. Then, they exit her office and they go their separate ways. 

  
  


“Why do you think the Headmistress wanted to talk with Fudou alone?” Sakuma asks as he tries to turn the key to open Teikoku Place. It’s six AM and Ichirouta is freezing, cold seeping through his uniform, inadequate for the weather. Sakuma is having hard time trying to unlock the stupid restaurant and Fudou is nowhere to be seen. 

Genda gently taps on Sakuma’s shoulder and holds out his hand. Sakuma gives up with a shrug, giving the key to his best friend. Then he turns to look at Ichirouta, who is trying to remember a heat spell. He wishes Gouenji was there. Him and his stupid fire magic would be so useful right now.

“I don’t know. It’s probably about... you know,” Kazemaru doesn’t say it out loud but Sakuma understands all the same.

“Do you think he... helped him escape?” 

Ichirouta closes his eyes. Good question. He doesn’t know. He wants to say no, _of course no he didn’t_ , but there is this little voice inside of his head that makes him doubt Fudou. Fudou is an unknown variable. Kazemaru Ichirouta is used to knowing his friends so well they are more like brothers, like Endou or Gouenji, but Fudou isn’t like that. He doesn’t know him and Fudou for sure doesn’t want him knowing too much. It’s the same with Sakuma and Genda, the only reason why Kazemaru hangs and trusts them it’s because of Kidou Yuuto and the way he talks about them—and Teikoku.

Kidou had to leave Teikoku for the same reason they are trying to open a haunted restaurant: Kageyama Reiji.

“I don’t know Sakuma,” Ichirouta finally answers, “What do you think?” 

“I don’t trust Fudou,” Sakuma replies quickly, “I can’t physically trust him, not after knowing he did side with... him, before,” then he looks down to stare at Genda, who is crouched, an eyes against the lock of the door, “What’s going on?” 

“I thought the lock was stuck and that was why the key wouldn’t turn, but... it’s free, there isn't anything inside.” 

“Look at you,” Fudou’s voice reaches Ichirouta’s ears and he turns, hair flapping around and there he is, Fudou Akio, uniform nowhere to be seen but with a coat long enough to hide his shoes and a beanie on, probably to take cover from the cold. He and his stupid mohawk.

“Three wizards and no one is capable of opening a door,” he snickers, “Oh sorry, an half cat and two wizards,” and he takes out his black wand, and with a flick of his wrist and some mumbled words, the door finally unlocks, the force of it making Genda fall on his butt.

“You know we can’t use magic outside the school grounds, Fudou!” 

“Rules are boring, Sakuma. Are we going inside or not? Pretty boy is freezing out here.” 

“Don’t call me that,” Ichirouta bites back, too used to say this to Fudou, “I have a name.”

“Whatever,” Fudou clicks his tongue as he jumps over Genda, still sitting on the ground. His boots hit the dusty floor and the lights automatically turn on, flickering eerily in the cold morning. 

“Not creepy at all,” Genda comments, his tail moving quickly as Sakuma helps him up.

“It’s probably a spell,” Sakuma tries to reassure him.

“Or it’s the ghost,” Fudou points out as he touches one of the tables, his finger now covered in dust. 

Ichirouta steps inside and he takes in the situation the restaurant is in, which is... a disaster. 

Everything is covered in what Kazemaru hopes is just dust and dirt. Almost every chair is broken, missing a leg or two, and the windows are covered with old paper, well, the ones still with glass attached to it. He spots a family of rats sleeping on one of the leather seats, undisturbed by their arrival. 

It’s been months since someone entered Teikoku Place, after everything that happened that day.

“How do they expect us to fix this place?” Ichirouta says more to himself.

“Hard work,” Sakuma puts his hands on his hips as he looks at the ceiling, “And prayers. I think that’s blood.” 

“Looks more like tomato sauce,” Genda points out, then he sniffs, “Yes, tomato. Bad.”

“Wow, you are really dumb as you look,” Fudou is behind the counter and he is working the register—thank Merlin, something is still functional.

“Fudou,” Sakuma threatens.

“What, Sakuma? It’s true. You are stupid. We are wizards, we have magic. Take out you wands and let’s clean this place with a Cleany Tidy Moo!”

Teikoku Place opens three days after fifteen cleaning spells, two magical Inazon orders with tables and chairs, one day of intense discussing with five different suppliers, ten missed lessons and a lot of sweat and tears after Genda had to evict the rat family--he understands animal language and they were begging him to let them stay. Ichirouta thinks it’s pretty weird for a cat to be attached to a family of rats. 

Sakuma made him do it anyway. 

Luckily for them, the ghost didn’t show up even if Ichirouta did step in three different cold zones while sweeping the floor. He decided not to think about it too much. 

The strangest thing is Fudou because he is… behaving. He does as they say, not without commenting, but he does it. He cleans, wand always at hand; he was the one who raised the problem of suppliers, menu and the one who got the best deal for them, even if Haizaki did look shady enough to do business with Fudou Akio.

Kazemaru thinks they are getting somewhere when Genda tries to turn on the stove. It works. 

Sakuma sighs in relief and Genda gives them a thumbs up, Fudou looking at them through the window that shows off their horrible and kitsch kitchen. He is sitting on the counter, well, he is more like lying on it, chin in hand and one eye opened. 

“I think we can open, tomorrow,” Sakuma takes out his small agenda and his little pen even if he has a perfectly working phone and even more perfectly working wand, “Even if we don’t have a menu.”

“We should really talk about the menu,” Genda says. 

Ichirouta nods, “Also, about who’s going to cook the menu.”

Genda and Sakuma look at him. 

“I can’t cook. Cooking accident when I was four. I burned half of my fur,” Genda takes a step back from the stove. 

Sakuma follows Genda, “We all know I should work the register.”

Ichirouta turns to look at Fudou and he’s about say he’s going to do it, fine, even if cooking experience includes only making rice balls with Aki when they went camping and watching Gouenji make takoyaki for all half of their friends, when Fudou clicks his tongue, raises up, shushes someone (weird) and says, “I’ll do it.”

“What?” Sakuma turns, with shock in his eyes. 

“Uh?” Genda murmurs. 

Ichirouta just raises an eyebrow, broomstick hooking on his elbow as he puts his hands on his hips, “Really?”

“Yeah,” Fudou jumps off the counter. 

“And why is that?”

“Can you cook, pretty boy?”

Ichirouta closes his mouth. 

  
  


“Well, this place is better than I remember,” Kidou says, looking around it. He is still on the threshold and Ichirouta understands his reluctance in coming in and picking a table.

It’s Opening Day and the Headmistress already told them they have to do good not only today--but especially today, with parents and professors from other schools coming to see old Teikoku Place--but everyday. 

The place is half empty, only a few people inside, and nobody really ordered anything, even if Genda is scribbling something on his pad. 

Ichirouta is wearing a customized white apron with Teikoku Place and Academy logo on it. They found a few of them under rumbles and dust and they were in enough good shape to use it without buying something else. 

“We did our best,” Ichirouta mumbles out, “What can I get you?” 

“I’ll wait for Gouenji and Endou first,” Kidou settles for a table close to the window--the one they had to replace the glass for.

“They are coming, too,” Ichirouta murmurs.

“Of course, we have to support you,” Kidou waves at Sakuma being the counter who just nods. 

“I hope you are not expecting a discount, Kidou,” Fudou appears next to Kazemaru, his apron already dirty even if he didn’t even turn on the stove. 

Kidou has to bite his bottom lip to not insult or stand up and exit the restaurant. Ichirouta understands the feeling. 

“Fudou,” he just says in a neutral tone. 

Ichirouta knows that between them there is history. Like War World II kind of history, involving not only them, Sakuma, Genda, every single one in their Charms class, but also Kageyama Reiji and Fudou doing shady business with him before Headmistress fired him and Kidou asked for being transferred to another school. 

Ichirouta doesn’t understand why Fudou didn’t get expelled after all of it, but nobody knows the truth except Headmistress and Fudou. There isn’t a single soul in all of Teikoku Academy who trusts Fudou Akio, now, though, and being seen with him almost everyday it’s ruining Kazemaru Ichirouta’s reputation too. Not that Ichirouta cares. Well, he cares about it. He hates caring about what other people thinks and how they perceive him and he does and this situation is hurting not only his reputation at Teikoku, but also at Raimon. 

“Kidou,” Fudou says back. 

“Don’t you have some cooking to do?” Ichirouta turns to look at his… coworker. 

Fudou chuckles. 

  
  


Opening Day goes well. After a small fight in the kitchen between Sakuma and Fudou (Sakuma saw Fudou talking to Kidou, he didn’t like it) that Genda and Ichirouta had to soothe, the restaurant fills up with clients and they are busy working and not fighting, thanks Merlin. They make a good amount of money, of course not enough to cover the costs for Teikoku’s reparations and neither for Teikoku Place return, but Headmistress is content enough to lighten their punishment a lot, so now they have to work four days instead of seven and mostly during the weekend. They lose all of their free time, but now they can go to class. 

Slowly, they settle in a routine. During low business time, they study, Fudou hanging alone in the kitchen, books open on the floor. Sakuma does his potions homework on the counter. Ichirouta settles for the table next to the window to practice his Charms spells and Genda tries Transfiguration on the inspired subway space of Teikoku Place. 

It goes well, and they spend the first semester with Fudou grilling hamburgers, frying potatoes and assembling sandwiches and burgers, Genda smelling the meat and shaking his head as he serves their clients (most of them are their friends), Sakuma working the register, counting every penny they make and Ichirouta cleaning tables, floors, taking out the trash and writing down orders.

“A Teikoku special, fries and a cola, and extra bacon,” he tells Fudou leaning into the window that overlooks the kitchen. 

Fudou takes the order from his hand. 

“You can say thank you, you know,” Ichirouta doesn’t leave. 

The restaurant is almost empty, just Fubuki Shirou sitting alone to recover from his full moon transformation, Genda patting his back in understanding. Fubuki is all wolf and a small amount of magic, turning into a complete wolf every full moon, meanwhile Genda is just half cat, ears and tail always present, with a great sense of smell, but with the inability to turn into a full formed cat (yet, he says it’s because he’s too young), but with a great talent for magic. 

Fudou turns to look at him, “Do you want my thanks?”

“It would be polite of you,” Ichirouta shrugs. 

“That would make me polite,” Fudou opens the fridge.

“Right, you can’t have that, could ruin your reputation.”

“I don’t care,” Fudou says, and he looks conflicted a little, like he wants to say more but he doesn’t know if he can say it. 

Ichirouta feels cold suddenly. He shivers, trying to warm up his arms with his hands. 

“Do you feel cold?” he asks Fudou. 

“No,” Fudou answers.

“Oh,” Ichirouta lets out. 

“But I’m not surprised you do. You have a ghost next to you.”

Ichirouta almost screams. 

  
  


The ghost is called Ichinose Kazuya, he loves to speak with an american accent, his eyes are dark and sweet, and apparently he and Fudou are _besties_. 

Ichirouta is not scared of him, he knows ghosts exist, he had a resident ghost back in his school too, but Ichinose Kazuya is a trickster kind of ghost with a lot of unfinished business--Ichirouta can say it from his appearance; he looks almost alive, all of his regrets and what ifs hooking him into his life and he has too much power for being this young, in ghost years. 

And again, he is friends with Fudou Akio. 

Sakuma is having one of his phenomenal breakdowns where he just says _Fudou_ all over again walking all over Teikoku Place cleaned floors (the first time it was because Fudou _accidentally_ took too much money from the register to buy cigarettes). Genda is sitting, legs crossed and ears perked in interest as he studies Ichinose, high waisted jeans and a jacket that belongs in the 80s. 

Fudou is lying on the counter, like always. 

Ichirouta has a hand in his hair, now all messed up. 

“Why didn't you tell us?” 

“You didn’t ask?” 

Ichirouta sighs, Sakuma groans, Genda nods. 

“And you knew there was a ghost, anyway,” Ichinose interjects. 

“Was it you that moved the broomstick around every time I tried to sweep the floor?” Genda asks. 

“Yes,” Ichinose answers. 

“Okay,” Genda looks at his hands, “And when I tried to take out the trash and the bag rip, was it you?”

“Also yes,” Ichinose sits down on a chair, crossing his legs. 

“And was it you when--”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Sakuma stops Genda, hand on his shoulder, “We don’t need to know that it was you that turned off our fridge for a whole night making us lose food and money.”

Ichinose winks. 

Sakuma tries to kill him again. 

  
  


Their exams come and go. 

Ichirouta and Sakuma aces them despite everything, Genda does his best and of course they don’t know about Fudou, but Headmistress calls him into her office to talk with him.

He comes back two hours later looking like he saw hell. 

With being busy with Teikoku Place and trying to keep pace with their classes, there isn’t much time to do anything else. Each of them shows it in different ways. Genda doesn’t know what’s going on his drama club, even if he could’ve being the Magic Lion King in the new production; Sakuma picked up sewing, saying something about relaxing and not dying of stress at such young age, but he doesn’t have the time to sew; Ichirouta doesn’t know what’s going with his old friends, he rarely calls Endou anymore and Someoka texts him once in awhile; Fudou doesn’t have the time to cut his hair and now what was a mohawk it’s just messy brown hair that start to frame his face in a way that makes him look… cuter. 

He steps inside Teikoku Place, hair falling into his eyes and his beanie in his hands. He breathes fast and hard. 

“What’s going on?” Ichirouta asks and Ichinose appears out of thin air. 

“Nothing, pretty boy,” he says, but Ichirouta has already seen that look in eyes, a few months prior, before Kageyama Reiji striked their school. 

“Liar,” Ichinose disappears. 

Useful. 

“What does Ghosty American Boy mean?” Genda asks as he uses a dishcloth to dry his hands since he was washing the dishes--the washing machine broke two days before. 

“He doesn’t mean anything,” Fudou insists. 

Sakuma drops his pencil, “Cut the act. It doesn’t work anymore.”

Fudou sighs, “She wanted to tell me Kageyama sent a new threat. Just a letter. Nothing major.”

Ichirouta looks at Sakuma who looks at him and then they both look at Genda who looks like he’s watching a tennis game looking at both of them. 

“And why did she call you?” Sakuma is the one who questions him because Ichirouta doesn’t have the strength and Genda doesn’t like to put Fudou in a tight spot because Sakuma usually does it. 

Fudou closes his eyes and he puts his beanie on his head, and turns to exit the restaurant. 

Ichirouta’s hand is already on his wrist before he can even open the door, “Wait!”

“What?” Fudou doesn’t shake him off, his eyes fixed on Ichirouta’s hand on his skin. 

Ichirouta doesn’t know, he didn’t think this further, he didn’t think at all, the only thing he knows it’s that Fudou can’t get out of the restaurant, can’t leave, because if he leaves, something is going to happen, he doesn’t what, but he’s sure of it. His aunt is the seer of the family, not him, but the genes are there. 

Sakuma is the one that replies, surprising everyone, even himself, “Because we don’t want you to leave.”

Genda drops the dishcloth, Ichinose reappears, now with a frappuccino in his hands, straw between his lips.

Ichirouta doesn’t let go of Fudou’s wrist and Fudou smirks.

“Well, well… so, you care about me.” 

Sakuma makes the register ding, starts counting the money inside of it. 

Silence. 

Genda lowers to get the dishcloth. Ichirouta lets go, but keeps looking at him. Fudou takes his wrist back, sleeves covering it. 

“Care is a big word, but we… came into an understanding. All of us,” Sakuma doesn’t raise his head, not even once, fingers moving fast, “We want to know what’s going on with you. Not necessary because we care about you.”

Fudou hums. Ichinose appears next to him, leans in, lips against Fudou’s pointy ear and he says, “I think you should tell them everything, Aki.” 

“Don’t call me Aki.”

Ichinose leaves. 

“There isn’t really anything to say, the Headmistress called me and my… legal guardian into her office to discuss about Kageyama,” Fudou sits down, crosses his legs. 

Genda takes the chair next to him, slouching all of his body into it, as Sakuma and Ichirouta do the same, without all the slouching. 

“Why?” Sakuma asks.

Fudou groans, “It's because they think he will contact me or something.”

Ichirouta bites the inside of his cheek, “What if he does it?”

Fudou laughs bitterly, “That’s the point, he won’t, he doesn’t need me, not anymore.”

Genda scratches his ear, “Do you want him to need you?” 

Silence, again, interrupted by Ichinose slurping his frappuccino in the shadows. 

Fudou looks at his hands, takes a deep breath, “No,” a pause, “Why do you think I tried to kill him that day?” 

“What?!” 

“Kill?!”

“You didn’t help him escape?!” 

Fudou tilts his head, “Yes, I tried to kill him, it was in front of me and Ichinose locked all the doors to help me and no, he escaped on his own, what the fuck?” 

Sakuma looks like he got struck by lightning, Ichirouta is trying to make some calculations and he doesn’t know about what and Genda just nods, and keeps nodding. 

“Do you really… I thought you didn’t want to talk to me because I wanted to kill someone, not because I tried to help him.”

“Well, you worked for him,” Ichirouta tries. 

Fudou smirks his back on his lips, “Yeah, Kidou too, but I don’t see you questioning him about his involvement with Kageyama Reiji.”

Sakuma stands up, fast and threatening, but Ichirouta stops him, “Wait, he’s right and you know it, Sakuma.”

Genda takes Sakuma’s hand in his, “Kazemaru is right.”

Sakuma breathes in and breathes out, he sits back, “Kidou is different from you, he manipulated him.” 

Fudou looks at Sakuma with wide eyes and then he just shakes his head, “You know what. You are right. I’ll leave.”

“Fudou!” Ichirouta calls him back, but Fudou is already teleporting away with a stroke of his wand.

Genda hums, “I think we just lost our cook.” 

  
  


Ichirouta needs to think how to bring Fudou back. First, they need someone to cook for Teikoku Place (Genda tried and they almost called the fire department) and second, Ichirouta feels guilty over their exchange. Sakuma too, but Sakuma would never admit it first, but Ichirouta understands him, the way he is protecting Kidou after everything--Kageyama managed to manipulate Kidou under Sakuma’s nose, making him do bad things and Sakuma feels too responsible for that, what ifs and maybes and sorrys hiding behind a facade. 

Genda reveals this to Ichirouta after Sakuma left, five minutes after their… discussion with Fudou. 

“What do you think?” Ichirouta asks Genda as he takes his bag from the kitchen. 

“About?”

“Fudou, Kageyama, Kidou, Sakuma,” Ichirouta says. 

Genda fixes his school uniform, tail moving around, “I think Fudou is innocent in the same way Kidou is innocent and I think Sakuma knows this too. But he is used to being angry at him, and he can’t accept that.”

Ichinose shows up to nod at that, “Kitty boy is right.”

“About Fudou being innocent?” 

Ichinose nods, “I can’t tell you, but… he’s just… he went through a lot when he was younger, Kageyama gave me an out and it that moment for him was the only solution.” 

Ichirouta closes Teikoku Place with a heavy heart. 

“What should I do?” 

“Talk to him?” 

Endou licks melted ice cream off his fingers. 

“That’s disgusting,” Gouenji says. 

“It wouldn’t be a problem if your body temperature was normal,” Endou bites back, but he doesn’t leave Gouenji’s side, thighs touching. 

Ichirouta smiles and then he coughs, “Can we go back to my problem?” 

“Right, talk to him. You said he is hiding something.”

“Hide is not the word I would use,” Ichirouta sighs, his ice cream forgotten, “More like… not trusting.” 

“Then make him trust you?” Endou says. 

“How?”

“That I don’t know.”

Ichirouta spots Fudou in the hallway after his Potions class. 

He runs to stop him, hand on his black cloak, “Wait.”

“Again? What do you want?” 

“Can we talk? Five minutes and I’ll leave you alone, I promise,” Ichirouta is not used to begging, but he will if he has to. 

Fudou looks around, and they are alone, everyone already in class, “Five minutes.”

  
  


“Spit,” Fudou orders as they step out into Teikoku Academy’s garden. 

“I’m sorry for the other day, Sakuma…”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ll talk with the Headmistress, I’ll ask her for a different punishment and you won’t have to deal with me.” 

“That’s,” Ichirouta stops walking, “Not what I want.”

Fudou turns, raised eyebrow. 

“I mean, Teikoku Place needs you. We can’t cook.”

Fudou nods, “That’s true, but you can learn how to grill meat.”

“But I want you to grill our meat.”

Fudou laughs and he leaves Ichirouta alone after that. 

Ichirouta doesn’t get why. 

  
  


Next day, Fudou shows up. 

He doesn’t say anything as he puts on his apron and starts cooking. 

  
  


“Kageyama manipulated you too, didn’t he?” Sakuma asks, one evening. 

They are about to close, Genda is already doing the dishes and Ichirouta is washing the floors. 

Fudou stops cleaning the stove as he looks up, “Yeah. Promised me he would help me pay my father debts.” 

“Did he?” 

“Nah, my legal guardian, Kudou, did after Kageyama left me to die here,” Fudou resumes his duty. 

Genda drops a plate inside the sink, “Left you die?” 

“It was after the first time he attacked Teikoku, I tried to stop him, he cursed me. I wouldn’t be here if Ichinose didn’t call for the Headmistress.”

Ichirouta feels his throat closing, he doesn’t know what to say, he just feels angry and sad and absolutely about to throw up. 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Genda asks. 

“You never asked.”

  
  


Things are different. The air is clearer. 

Sakuma and Fudou still fight a lot, but this time is more bickering than anything else. 

Genda starts to bear hugging Fudou too, their size different making it more funny to watch from outside as Genda gets him off the ground with a swoop. 

Ichirouta smiles at him and Fudou thanks him when he gives him orders.

“I think we are halfway through our debt to the school. Maybe another six months and we can finally stop working here,” Sakuma announces after he made his monthly calculations. 

“Wow, time flies,” Genda comments, leaning on Sakuma’s shoulder to watch numbers he can’t understand, just to have an excuse to touch Sakuma. 

“I’ll miss this,” Ichirouta crosses his arms, “It’s not that bad, we could’ve ended up cleaning the third floor bathroom.”

“Nasty bathroom,” Genda agrees, “What do you think, Fudou?” 

“About the bathroom or about us closing down the shop?” 

“Both?” Genda shrugs. 

“I cleaned that bathroom, people don’t use it as a bathroom, anyway, I prefer this. At least I can cook here and you are not bad company,” Fudou goes back into the kitchen after that.

“Not bad,” Ichirouta repeats, shaking his head.

Sakuma laughs, “You are not bad yourself, Fudou.” 

Fudou winks. 

“Wait, what do they use the bathroom for?” Genda asks. 

“Alchemy,” Fudou answers. 

“What?” Ichirouta says.

“Didn’t you know? They made gold inside the toilet bowl and then they sold it. I think it was Takanashi Shinobu,” Fudou replies.   
  


“I can’t believe it,” Sakuma teases Fudou. 

They are both behind the counter and they are talking in whispers, almost like fighting, but not quite. They are used to that, now. 

They don’t hate each other anymore, that’s good. Ichirouta likes them like this. Genda too, it’s more peaceful without Sakuma’s yells and Fudou too smart insults. 

“Believe it,” Ichinose pops up out of nowhere. 

“No,” Fudou says, bangs hiding his face. 

Ichirouta is doing homework at the usual table, the one next to the window, with the best view of the counter and the kitchen, just to… check on things, once in a while. If someone called Endou tells you that you are more likely checking on Fudou because you care about him, you ignore him. 

At least it’s what Ichirouta is doing right now. 

He cares about Fudou, as a friend. He isn’t that bad, anyway and they have things in common, something Ichirouta didn’t think was possible. Both of them like doing nothing in their free time, just having an existential crisis for the fun of it. Kidding aside, they like the same kind of movies, psychological thrillers and murder mysteries. They like the same type of pizza and the same flavour of ice cream. Their best class in school is Charms, and Ichirouta found out that Fudou is one of the best students in an academic way in Teikoku, his scores matching his.

Ichirouta likes Fudou enough. 

And he’s also cute with his messy hair and long cardigans. 

Ichirouta shakes his head and focuses on his homework. 

“Oh, wait I’ll tell everyone. Finally, I have something on you. I’ll hold it dearly,” Sakuma laughs. 

Fudou looks at him, a challenge into his eyes, “Bet.”

“Bet what?” Sakuma sounds scared.

Fudou turns to look at him and Ichirouta’s eyes fly back on his homework. He hears footsteps, Fudou’s shoes coming into his vision and then he feels hands on his cheeks, “Sorry, Kazemaru,” Fudou says as he raises Kazemaru’s face, slowly. 

“About w--” but he can’t finish, Fudou’s lips on his. 

For a first kiss, it’s messy and it’s bad and Ichirouta knows he should get away, push Fudou away, but he can’t, hands gripping Fudou’s apron as he deepens the kiss. Every sound is tuned out and the only thing he can feel it’s Fudou’s fingers caressing his cheekbones. 

Then Fudou lets go of him and Ichirouta has to stop himself before pulling Fudou in again, to kiss him again. 

Fudou just looks at Sakuma and Ichinose, shock in their eyes, and he says, “You have nothing on me, now.”

Genda drops another plate into the sink. 


End file.
